FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT SAFETY FACTOR - PAGE 4

The Buffalo Grove Park District has big plans for Busch Grove Park; the village is skeptical. In the next two years, the park district wants to build an in-line skating rink, a sand volleyball court, a basketball court, and a fast-pitch softball practice area in the 76-acre park at Busch Parkway and Buffalo Grove Road. But the Village Board refused to approve the plan at its Monday meeting because the park district has made no provisions for lighting the park. Village trustees were especially concerned about the prospect of an unlighted parking lot. A dark lot, some said, could become an after-hours hangout.

Defying their landlords' orders to move, the warren of businesses operating at the Metra station beneath Randolph Street at Michigan Avenue remained open Tuesday morning. Bt workers above began tearing into the concrete for what city engineers say are necessary emergency repairs. Last week, the city said parts of Randolph Street were falling to the pedestrian viaduct below that leads into Metra's third-busiest station, with about 20,000 commuters daily. Metra said it told the seven businesses operating at the station under Metra leases on Thursday that they had until Monday to move so repairs could take place.

A preliminary plan calling for the closure of three Chicago high schools and five elementary schools as a cost-cutting measure was revealed Tuesday at a Chicago Board of Education committee meeting. State legislators for years have urged the board to close some underutilized school buildings to minimize its biennial budget crises. Under the proposal discussed Tuesday by the board's facilities committee, some buildings would be closed indefinitely while others would be used to relieve overcrowded schools elsewhere in the district.

Over recent weeks, officials have been mulling over an ordinance restricting the use of bows and arrows within the village. Officials this week agreed to follow the state's hunting restrictions by allowing bow hunting on private property only if hunters get permission from the owner of the land, and prohibiting hunting within 100 yards of an occupied dwelling. Mayor Michael Einhorn also is cautioning hunters to stay off park trails and private property. The issue arose from a conflict between hunters and homeowners in subdivisions along Richton and Crete Roads, which are surrounded by open land.

The Cubs plan to move the brick wall behind home plate at Wrigley Field out three feet to add 56 prime box seats in 2013. The Cubs confirmed a report on the wall by Crain's Chicago Business. The team needs approval from the Chicago Landmarks Commission, which currently is reviewing the plans. Cubs President Theo Epstein said he had been in meetings all day and was not privy to information on the team's plans. “I would probably want to sit down and study it,” Epstein said.

Working from an extension ladder is a necessity for many homeowners who want to do home maintenance and improvements, but improper use causes thousands of accidents every year. Following some simple guidelines can improve safety and help ladder users get the most from this essential tool. An extension ladder is basically two ladders fastened together into a unit that can be adjusted to different lengths. The ladders are sold in sizes ranging from 16 to 40 feet. The maximum working length of an extension ladder is actually about three feet shorter than the listed length, because in a full extension the two sections overlap at the ends.

Dear Ann Landers: Choking and suffocation are two of the most common causes of preventable death in children under 1 year of age. According to the "Textbook of Pediatric Basic Life Support" from the American Heart Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, one of the most common causes of choking and suffocation is giving formula, milk or juice to an infant who is lying down. I am writing to you because I am distressed by the number of parents I see propping up baby bottles in restaurants, grocery stores and malls.

Calling it a start on flood control, Elmhurst aldermen voted 12-to-1 to require on-site stormwater detention for any increase in storm runoff when replacing an existing single-family home. "This is a start - it's a good start and it's a fair start," said Ald. Chris Healy, vice-chairman of the Public Works Committee recommending the policy. Ald. Stephen Hipskind cast the only vote against the plan, saying that with only about 75 homes a year affected, "I don't see it as having a big impact.

Feasting, poetry, music and the passing of another income-tax deadline gave a joyful air to a party in honor of poet Robert Burns at Raday Lodge in Midlothian last weekend. Scotland's national poet died more than 200 years ago, but his spirit enlivened the Robert Burns Memorial Celebration hosted by the Scottish Cultural Society. The mid-April timing commemorates the poet's work as a tax collector, undertaken to support his family, his poetry-writing and his fondness for strong whiskey and attractive women.

Today people often lament that they just can't find old-fashioned service like they once did. At Kiddle's Sporting Goods Store in Lake Forest, finding reliable service is never a problem. When Ron Shlifka took over Kiddle's in 1968, he converted what primarily was a hardware store into a complete sporting goods store. In 1973, when the adjacent Garnett's store went out of business, Kiddle's expanded. Shlifka's specialty is bicycles, and he has seen a lot of changes over the years.